The challenge for children in India
Play and playful learning are vital to a child’s healthy development — socially, cognitively and emotionally. Yet in many low-income urban and rural communities across India, children lack access to toys, games, stories or a safe environment in which to play. This limits early childhood development, suppresses creativity, reduces school readiness and narrows future opportunities.
In India, inequalities in early childhood care, resources and infrastructure mean that where a child is born continues to heavily influence what they become. The Toy Bank seeks to disrupt this cycle by ensuring that children from marginalised backgrounds have access not just to schooling, but to enriching play-based learning resources.
Rather than focusing on single donations and direct distribution – a model usually adopted by most non-profit organisations, The Toy Bank focuses on creating toy libraries that can be shared with schools and communities with a wider and far more long-term impact.
What The Toy Bank does
The Toy Bank distributes educational and leisure toys, sets up Toy Libraries and Safe Playrooms, and runs play-based learning programmes across multiple states. Their key initiatives include:
- – channeling under-utilised toys from affluent areas to children in smaller schools, enabling cost-friendly replication.
- – supplying toys, games and play materials to government early childhood centres (Anganwadis), increasing attendance and engagement.
- – distributing toys in remote panchayat ghars and rural communities to extend access to play in under-served regions.
- – creating toy-libraries for children with disabilities, child-labour survivors and orphans, using specialised materials (braille, textured toys etc) so that play is inclusive.
The Toy Bank has impacted over 529,201 children, distributed 15,424,44 toys and saved 386,500+ lbs of CO₂ emissions, across 30 + states in India. One of the achievements that the team are particularly proud of is that The Toy Bank’s efforts have benefited marginalised children in all corners of India, which is an incredible feat!
The Toy Bank Programmes in focus
The toy libraries are created with used and unused toys that are usually gathered through collection drives in New Delhi and a few other large cities across the country. These toys are then refurbished if necessary and repackaged into age appropriate toy kits, which are then sent across the country to government schools, shelter homes, orphanages and independent educational centres.
Just like the libraries for books, these toy libraries are replenished and updated as and when required. In many cases, this initiative has improved attendance in government schools and helped vulnerable children cope with mental health issues.
Here are three flagship programmes in more detail:
- – School Connect: By redirecting toys from schools, housing societies and corporates in more privileged areas to under-privileged schools, The Toy Bank builds toy libraries and runs play sessions, promoting a sharing and caring culture.
- – Anganwadi Connect: In the crucial early years (0-6years), the programme equips Anganwadis with storybooks, board games, sensory toys and “20 Activity Modules” for staff, supporting holistic development (social, physical, emotional) in young children.
- – Safe Playroom Programme: In municipal schools for economically weaker children such as in South Delhi, The Toy Bank installs fully equipped playrooms with toys, board games, puzzles, storybooks and child friendly furniture, enabling children to learn through play, not just rote.
How Explorations Company supports The Toy Bank
Explorations Company has partnered with The Toy Bank for our 2025-2026 Impact programme. We are supporting The Toy Bank as part of our 2025-2026 Impact programme because their commitment to enabling childhood development through play aligns with our aim to make a meaningful difference in the regions our clients explore by fostering positive social change.
Our contribution sustains a playroom located in New Delhi for an entire year, supporting The Toy Bank’s mission to provide joyful, inclusive, and developmentally enriching environments for children across India through toy distribution via their centres.
How Explorations Company clients can engage on their holiday to India
If you are touched by this unique initiative and wish to learn more or get involved, we would highly recommend visiting one of the toy libraries in Delhi during your holiday or safari to India. This can be easily combined with an interesting walking tour of Old Delhi taking you through its narrow streets and bustling markets, allowing you an unparalleled opportunity to discover Delhi’s local life that is often overlooked by visitors.
Why it matters
Play is not a luxury — it’s foundational. For children growing up in under resourced environments, access to toys, games and playful learning can unlock creativity, social skills and confidence. By investing in play spaces, The Toy Bank does more than distribute toys — it supports the right to childhood, learning readiness and social inclusion.
Supporting this work through our Impact programme is part of how Explorations Company connects travel with meaningful local development. If you would like to explore how this charity fits into your journey or learn more about how play and learning come together in India, our team is ready to help.
